Latintos stands for "language transformations in texts and open sources." The LATINTOS BLOG highlights different spellings and different meanings of words, phrases and abbreviations as well as their origin. Latintos compares words in different contexts and different languages including scientific and formal languages. Further, name construction is analyzed and applications of systematic names and nomenclature systems are monitored.

Friday, June 26, 2009

The word Coolanol is applied as a trade name for certain industrial silicate esters (tetraalkoxysilanes) that are used as coolants and also as heat and power transfer fluids, dielectric and hydraulic fluids, lubricants and for electrical and electronic equipments. The Monsanto Chemical Company and Exxon Mobil market silicate esters under various trade names. Coolanol names are typically composed of the noun Cooloanol followed by a short numerical or alphanumerical code, for example Coolanol 35 or Coolanol OS59.

Since the translation of the English word gasoline into German is Gasolin, the English noun grassoline should be translated into German as Grasolin. This word has not been found in the Kraftstoff or Biokraftstoff context in the German literature during a recent search. Should we look for Grassolin or Graßolin?

Gasoline is a fuel based on mineral oil, a limited resource. Grassoline, based on renewable resources, is a second-generation biofuel made from the inedible parts of plants, in contrast to first-generation biofuels made from edible biomass. A typical source for grassoline is the fast-growing switchgrass. The noun grassoline, rhyming with gasoline, indicates the grassy or ‘green’ origin of this type of biofuel. Get ready to watch out (or smell out) for the nearest grassoline station on your next drive!

Monday, June 1, 2009

The noun count often refers to the action or process of counting, but can also mean the quantity of something being counted or measured, as, for example, in the terms particle count or body count. A numeral is a symbol that denotes the result of a count—irrespective of what has been counted. The noun number often applies within either context. For example, the chemical term oxidation number can mean the numerical equivalent (formal charge count in an atom) of an oxidation state or the symbol, normally a Roman numeral, that expresses an oxidation state. Further, the word number is often used in an identifier contex, such as in the terms account number, social security number, and RTECS number (Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances number). Such identification numbers may include non-numerals and sometimes are composed completely from non-numerals (letters and punctuation marks).The distinction between count and number can be important in avoiding ambiguities. In computer programming, it is a good practice to enhance program readability and testing by distinguishing between count and number variables, for example, by using prefixes cnt and n in variable names. A count variable dynamically counts something during program execution, where as a number variable holds an assigned numerical value.The distinction between number and numeral is critical in separating an actual quantity from its notational representations. The same number can be expressed in different numeral systems—positional as well as nonpositional numeral systems [1].